Sticky Fingers

Musikfest announced today that it is reviving its Musikfest Ball this year after a five-year absence. The black tie event will be held at Saucon Valley Country Club. Here’s a full rundown.

One of my colleagues reminded me that I wrote a memorable column 12 years ago about this highbrow event. As I reread it, I decided that repeating the story now might prove useful to encourage refined behavior at this year’s event.

Here's that old column, beginning with the headline:

FIVE-FINGER DISCOUNT AT MUSIKFEST BALL

"Musikfest was launched Friday night with the black-tie-only Musikfest Ball as the premier place to be and be seen," The Morning Call reported Sunday.

"There, 500 guests flocked to Hotel Bethlehem where ... revelers lined Main Street to catch a glimpse of Bethlehem's own version of Oscar Award glamour ... "

What the awed onlookers didn't realize was that those trim tuxedoes and glittering gowns disguised some of the most sticky-fingered, inconsiderate slobs you could ever hope to meet --not to mention arms and pockets full of pilfered decorations and maybe even a pair of wire cutters.

"They all but raped the place," said ball Chairman Tom Jones. "They went crazy."

"When did pilfering become accepted etiquette?" wondered Joe Damiano, the volunteer in charge of security for the event.

Even before the event had officially begun, ball-goers were stealing some of the special decorations that volunteers had prepared to make each room a Gatsby-esque showplace.

"They emptied one room," Jones said. "We had replicas of the Eiffel Tower made out of chocolate, 10 of them in the room. I don't think the room was officially open and all 10 were gone."

It was the same story all over the hotel. Decorated centerpieces disappeared. Chunks of chocolate were torn away from the giant Musikfest chocolate sculpture in the lobby. Little treasure chests full of candy. Flowers. Candles. Even a 4-foot peacock, built by volunteers and wired to the wall. That's where the wire cutters came in. "What the hell are they going to do with a 4-foot peacock?" Jones wondered.

The early disappearances were particularly aggravating, since theydeprived most ball-goers of the opportunity to enjoy the decorations. "I guess they're trying to be the first to get it before someone else gets it," Jones said.

Since the ball is a fund-raising event, organizers try to maximize the proceeds by reusing some decorations. They also lend decorations to other fund-raising events, and donate special items such as the giant peacock to hospital children's wards or day-care centers.

"Everyone loses when our inventory is stolen," Damiano noted in a letter detailing the losses.

Amazingly, most of the pilferers managed to escape without detection, although one woman was caught leaving early in the evening with an Eiffel Tower and ordered to return it. "Reluctantly," Jones said, "she put it back."

Damiano said the problem has been getting worse every year, although this year represented a quantum leap in five-finger discounts. And it's apparently not peculiar to Musikfest. Jones said decorations they have lent to the St. Luke's Ball, for instance, have been pilfered at that event.

"It's stealing, no ifs and buts about it," he said. "Just because they're paying $85 to go to a ball, that doesn't entitle them to take everything that isn't nailed down."

Until now, security largely has consisted of placing guards at the doors to prevent gate-crashing. But Damiano said next year the committee may have to anchor more of the decorations to the walls or even the ceilings, and get away from smaller pieces that are easily concealed.

Jones cautioned that it's probably only a relative handful of the 500 ball-goers who are responsible. Still, it's a pretty sad commentary on the Valley's best and brightest.

"At the end of the evening," he told me, "one gal was walking out of there with two hands loaded. She had one of the Eiffel Towers, an Arc de Triomphe, one of the treasure chests, and something else."

One of the ball's officers spotted her. "My," she said sarcastically, "you should have had a shopping bag to help you with all that stuff."

Current Comments

Unbelievable! As a 30 year resident but still an 'outsider', I think the valley's citizens have a reputation for being cheap. My husband used to joke that the only reason people showed up for the concerts at West Park in A-town was because they were free.

And we were both horrified when my father-in-law helped a neighbor move a heavy TV set. He came home and died immediately from a heart attack. The same neighbor showed up on the doorstep before the funeral and asked if she could have his heart medication since he wouldn't need it anymore.

Where do these people come off thinking they are entitled to free stuff? And when did stealing become acceptable social behavior??

Posted By: Lu | Jul 1, 2008 1:07:28 PM

Remember, this was in 1996. Maybe the gentry will behave better this year.

Posted By: Bill White | Jul 1, 2008 1:12:09 PM

Wanna bet?

Posted By: Lu | Jul 1, 2008 1:21:11 PM

If anything, the behavior will be worse.

Posted By: Susan | Jul 1, 2008 1:39:54 PM

(Arruugahh!! Arruugahh!! Warning! Ol' Fogey alert!)

Back when I was young....

about age 5, our family visited family friends for the afternoon. Ms. Jane had on her fireplace mantle three Indian brass bells, and I pocketed the fuchsia one before leaving. Naturally, my sister told on me, and my mother marched my butt back over to Ms. Jane's to return the bell and apologize for stealing it. I was embarrassed for my transgression and never stole again. The humiliation was too high a price to pay for any material thing.

I know people who claim to have no qualms about shoplifting from department stores and consider it a challenge to master. It is a mindset that I do not understand. Maybe these are outdated morals that have no place in today's society...but I hope they do.

Posted By: Lu | Jul 1, 2008 2:50:19 PM

All of the paintings in the area will be stolen... because people are finally going to realize that they are oil paintings!!